In a sorrowful turn of events, the nation is mourning the demise of N Valarmathi, the revered ISRO scientist whose voice resonated as the countdown during numerous momentous space mission launches. She passed away due to a heart attack in Chennai on a recent Saturday evening, as reported by WION. Valarmathi, whose voice became synonymous with India’s strides in space exploration, notably lent her voice for the countdown during the historic Chandrayaan-3 mission, marking her final assignment.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which successfully landed on the moon’s south pole in August, made India the inaugural nation to achieve this feat and the fourth globally to have a successful lunar landing. The mission encapsulated three pivotal components: the propulsion module facilitating the transfer of the lander and the rover to the lunar orbit; the lander module overseeing the gentle landing of the spacecraft; and the rover module tasked with exploring the moon’s components.
Dr PV Venkitakrishnan, a distinguished former director at ISRO, expressed his deep condolences on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. He reminisced about Valarmathi’s significant contributions to ISRO and acknowledged that the Chandrayaan-3 mission was her swan song as the voice of ISRO’s mission countdowns. In his heartfelt message, he noted, “The voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta. Chandrayaan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise. Feel so sad. Pranams!”
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The voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta. Chandrayan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise . Feel so sad.Pranams! pic.twitter.com/T9cMQkLU6J
— Dr. P V Venkitakrishnan (@DrPVVenkitakri1) September 3, 2023
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The voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta. Chandrayan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise . Feel so sad.Pranams! pic.twitter.com/T9cMQkLU6J
— Dr. P V Venkitakrishnan (@DrPVVenkitakri1) September 3, 2023
The community online joined in to pay heartfelt tributes to the late scientist, recounting their memorable collaborations with her and reflecting on her unparalleled contributions to India’s space missions. Her voice, which became a harbinger of India’s remarkable achievements in space technology, will be sorely missed, as echoed by many on social media platforms.
A user recounted their collaborative experience with her during the Vikram-S launch last year, marking her pivotal role in the launch countdown, while another stated that her final countdown had indeed given “us shivshakti point at the moon”. The sentiment of loss and surprise was shared universally, with individuals expressing that they would profoundly miss her reassuring presence during ISRO’s future space ventures.
As the nation grapples with this irreplaceable loss, it is evident that N Valarmathi has left an indelible mark in India’s space exploration history. Her voice, which guided India through numerous space milestones, will resonate in the hearts of many as a beacon of dedication, passion, and pioneering spirit. The nation stands united in bidding farewell to a remarkable personality who epitomised grace and brilliance in her service to ISRO and the country.
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